BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



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          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 2695 (Goldberg)
          As Amended August 14, 2006
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |74-0 |(May 4, 2006)   |SENATE: |37-0 |(August 17,    |
          |           |     |                |        |     |2006)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    PUB. S.  

           SUMMARY  :  Extends the sunset date to January 1, 2010, for the $400  
          fee imposed on a person convicted of domestic violence to support  
          domestic violence centers, the Domestic Violence Restraining Order  
          Reimbursement Fund, and the Domestic Violence Training and  
          Education Fund.  

           The Senate amendments  :

          1)Delete the January 1, 2007 sunset date on provisions of law that  
            waive fees associated with the service of process of specified  
            protective orders, restraining orders or injunctions.

          2)Delete the January 1, 2007 sunset date on provisions of law that  
            provides that there is no fee for a subpoena filed in connection  
            with an application for a protective order, under specified  
            circumstances.

          3)Extends indefinitely provisions of law that prohibit a sheriff  
            from requiring a prepayment fee for protective orders relating  
            to workplace violence.

          4)Expands the workplace violence exception to include elder abuse  
            and domestic violence.

           EXISTING LAW  provides that:

          1)Any employer, whose employee has suffered unlawful violence or a  
            credible threat of violence from any individual, that can  
            reasonably be construed to be carried out or to have been  
            carried out at the workplace, may seek a temporary restraining  
            order and an injunction on behalf of the employee prohibiting  
            further unlawful violence or threats of violence by that  
            individual.  








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          2)Upon filing a petition for an injunction under this section, the  
            plaintiff may obtain a temporary restraining order in accordance  
            with specified provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure if the  
            plaintiff also files an affidavit that, to the satisfaction of  
            the court, shows reasonable proof that an employee has suffered  
            unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence by the  
            defendant and that great or irreparable harm would result to an  
            employee. In the discretion of the court, and on a showing of  
            good cause, a temporary restraining order or injunction issued  
            under this section may include other named family or household  
            members who reside with the employee. 

          3)A minimum payment by the defendant of $400 to be disbursed as  
            specified in this paragraph.  If, after a hearing in court on  
            the record, the court finds that the defendant does no have the  
            ability to pay, the court may reduce or waive this fee.  This  
            provision will sunset January 1, 2007. 

          4)A minimum payment by the defendant of $200 to be disbursed as  
            specified in this paragraph.  If, after a hearing in court on  
            the record, the court finds that the defendant does no have the  
            ability 
          to pay, the court may reduce or waive this fee.  This provision  
          becomes operative January 1, 2007. 

           AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY  , this bill:

          1)Extended sunset date to January 1, 2010, for the $400 fee  
            imposed on a person convicted of domestic violence to support  
            domestic violence centers, the Domestic Violence Restraining  
            Order Reimbursement Fund and the Domestic Violence Training and  
            Education Fund.

          2)Allowed a judge, when issuing a temporary restraining order or  
            injunction requested by an employer, to include multiple  
            employees or worksites within the protection of the order.

          3)Allowed the court, upon a showing of good cause by the employer  
            requesting the temporary restraining order or injunction, to  
            issue a temporary restraining order or injunction which includes  
            other persons employed a his or her workplace or workplaces.

          4)Provided that if the Commission on State Mandates determines  
            that this act contains costs mandated by the state,  








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            reimbursement to local agencies and school district for those  
            costs shall be made pursuant to specified sections of the  
            Government Code.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations Committee  
          analysis, the Domestic Violence Restitution Order Reimbursement  
          Fund, administered by the Department of Justice, and the Domestic  
          Violence Training and Education Fund, administered by the  
          Department of Health Services have both indicated they have  
          projected no fiscal impact for this bill.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, "This bill aims to ensure  
          funding for county domestic violence programs and seeks to enhance  
          worker protection.  The sunset extension ensures that a $400 fee  
          imposed on domestic violence defendants remains.  This bill also  
          ensures that up to two-thirds of the augmented amount of money  
          will continue to be retained by the counties for deposit into the  
          domestic violence programs special fund, with the remainder  
          transferred to the State Controller.  This bill will have the  
          effect of ensuring that fee-generated revenues continue to fund  
          domestic violence services, public education to prevent domestic  
          violence and law enforcement costs related to domestic violence  
          restraining orders.

          "A separate concern is that the providers of these services are  
          themselves often threatened with violence, harassment or stalking  
          by perpetrators of domestic violence.  Much like law enforcement  
          and legal services providers, domestic violence and sexual assault  
          advocates are concerned for their personal safety.  Greater  
          protections for the workplace would allay some of those concerns,  
          facilitating the recruitment of needed domestic violence  
          personnel.  This bill enhances workplace safety by permitting  
          employers to obtain protective orders for the entire worksite when  
          an employee or employees experience violence or a credible threat  
          of violence in the workplace.  And, if appropriate, this bill  
          allows for protecting multiple work sites where employees are  
          threatened with violence."   

          Please see the policy committee analysis for full discussion of  
          this bill.
           

          Analysis Prepared by :    Gregory Pagan / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 

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